


"i thought it would be nice."

by never_bloom_again



Series: @abitcriminalminds 1k prompt drabbles! [19]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Domestic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enjoy!, Fighting, Hurt/Comfort, I Hope This Is Okay, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Insecurity, M/M, insecure luke alvez, so yay skjfsdkhf, spencer doesn't like his systems being disrupted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27367228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/never_bloom_again/pseuds/never_bloom_again
Summary: For the prompt “Stop arguing and listen!”Luke was just trying to do something nice. It doesn't go down so well.
Relationships: Luke Alvez/Spencer Reid
Series: @abitcriminalminds 1k prompt drabbles! [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1958302
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	"i thought it would be nice."

**Author's Note:**

> Okay!! so just a disclaimer - spencer acts kinda rude, but this is just because he is exhausted, and he doesn't cope well at the best of times with having his systems disrupted. i think this is just a standard domestic fight, although if that may be upsetting to you, please be careful!

He had put a book in the wrong position. Of course he had. Luke had just been trying to do something nice for Spencer - they had both been working flat out, and were completely exhausted, so when he noticed the second-hand book store, he quickly ducked in and picked something out, a book he didn’t think he had seen in their apartment. It was supposed to be a kind gesture, just to show that even when Luke was just about falling asleep standing up, that when he wanted nothing else but to be in bed, that he was still thinking of Spencer, and wanted to make him happy.

When Luke arrived at their apartment, he noticed that Spencer wasn’t home yet, leaving him time to find a spot to leave his gift. Knowing that Spencer would quickly notice any new addition to his collection of books, Luke slipped it into a spare space on one of th shelves, his sleep addled mind not really taking any note of where - something that would prove to have been a stupid decision. He should have just taken the extra time to work out Spencer’s sorting system and put it in the right place, or found a nice bag to have put it in, and left it on the table. Anything other than what he did.

Luke patiently began to cook something simple for dinner while he waited for Spencer. He knew that a home cooked meal would always be appreciated, even if it was just some spaghetti with a canned sauce.

By the time Spencer walked through the door, greeted by Roxy, the meal was almost ready, and Luke was dead on his feet. It was okay though, he didn’t mind, because he knew that he was going to make Spencer smile, between dinner and the book.

Unfortunately, nothing seemed to go to plan. As Spencer took some dinner, he was short with Luke, barely giving him the time of day - and he didn’t blame Spencer for that. When exhausted, while Luke tended to crave being with those he loved, his partner preferred to be alone, and Luke knew that. He put up with the lack of conversation as they ate, knowing that it wouldn’t be long until the two of them would be cuddled up together in bed.

Well, that was what was supposed to happen.

However, when Spencer noticed the book, as Luke had been waiting for, in hopes of his mood brightening slightly, he instead appeared displeased.

“Luke, why is there a random book there? That shouldn’t be there,” Spencer said, exhaustion evident in his voice, but paired with frustration. Frustration at Luke.

“I bought it for you! I thought it would be nice!”

Spencer just looked more annoyed at that response.

“What would be nice about coming home to my system being interrupted? I don’t keep it organised just for the fun of it!”

Luke winced. He hadn’t thought of that. He had been so caught up in his own exhaustion that he hadn’t even thought about Spencer. But he had just been trying to do the right thing, a nice thing.

“Spence, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

He was cut off before he could even finish. It was uncharacteristic of Spencer, who was normally relatively timid and quiet, to be so confrontational. Even though Luke knew it was just the fatigue talking, he couldn’t help but take it to heart.

“Stop arguing and listen!”

Being criticised for not listening to Spencer hurt. He always listened, always tried his best to be interested in whatever he had to say. And Luke was listening! He was hearing he wasn’t doing good enough, and then apologising for it, while formulating ways in which he could do better the next time.

It was all Luke could do not to curl in on himself and cry, or reach out to Spencer and ask to be held, but that would be selfish, after he messed up. It was his job to fix things.

Caught up in his own head, however, Luke failed to notice Spencer and Roxy slipping out the door. By the time he noticed, they were too far gone for him to call out for them to come back.

There was nothing he could do, so he gave in to the tiredness, and went to bed, hoping that in the morning, he would get the chance to make it better. Luke would choose to blame the tears in his eyes, slowly spilling down his cheeks on exhaustion, a desperate attempt to pretend that he was fine on his own.

\--

Luke woke up, a slight headache from dehydration in the back of his head, a glass of water that he hadn’t put there sitting on the bedside table that he was facing, and slight warmth behind him. As he slowly sat up, and reached for the glass, he looked to his other side. Spencer was sitting beside him, reading a familiar looking book.

“Good morning,” Spencer softly said, an apologetic tone already apparent.

“Mornin’,” Luke sleepily replied, smiling as he began to process the scene around him, with regards to the previous night.

Spencer was there! And not only was he there, he was reading the book. Luke was unbelievably happy to see it. He was happy his gift appeared to be appreciated then, and already was preparing what he would do next time - albeit with better execution.

“I’m sorry, Luke,” Spencer began, “That was really sweet of you, and I’m so sorry that I acted like that. You were just trying to be nice, and I shouldn’t have gotten angry with you, nor should I have left.”

In an attempt to keep the conversation light, Luke jokingly responded;

“Well I’ve learnt my lesson now - I will leave the book sorting to you!”

Spencer did not seem pleased with that response, but didn’t say anything - Luke suspected he would hear more apologies later, though.

“How does a lazy day sound today? We can watch some TV here, and I will even let Roxy onto the bed.”

Luke invited Roxy, who had been sitting in her dog bed watching them, up onto the bed, as he moved so his head was resting on Spencer’s chest.

“That sounds great.”

There was a moment of silence, before Spencer quietly spoke.

“I love you, always.”

Luke smiled.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed!! thank you for reading!! let me know what you thought!! :)


End file.
